Modern education in Ethiopia introduced by Emperor Menelik II, who first opened the government school named Menelik II School in 1908 with proclamation issued in 1906. Despite being progressive, the modern education met with opposition from clergy and priests from Orthodox church, primarily the Coptic Orthodox. By 1913, provincial schools were expanded to Harar, Dessie and Ankober.
The opposition decreased by 1920s and subsequently Emperor Haile Selassie opened Teferi Mekonnen School and made hallmark of modern education since 1930. Haile Selassie helped to establish Ministry of Education and introduced European schools; French, Arabic, and Italian and English became predominant instructions during the era. American advisor Ernest Work introduced the first educational cycle consisted of 6 years of primary, 6 years of secondary, and 4 years university education.
During the Derg regime, new education policy enacted embracing socialist ideology and chartered by the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) in 1976, further elaborated five volume policy documents known as General Directives of Ethiopian Education produced by the Ministry of Education in 1980. The literacy rate was increased by this era compared to Haile Selassie regime, enrollment increased from 224,934 in 1959–1960 to 1,042,900 in 1974–1975, about 15% per annum.
From Menelik to Zewditu
Modern education in Ethiopia was commenced after the reign of Emperor Menelik II, who then opened the first school, Menelik II School, in 1908. Before that, he issued a proclamation in 1906 that reads: In other countries, not only do the younger citizens learn, they make new things even more. Hence, as of today, all six-year-old boys and girls in Ethiopia should attend school. As for parents who would not send their children to school, when the former die, their wealth, instead of passing to children, will be transferred to the government. My government will prepare the schools and avail itself of the teachers.The proclamation gave legitimacy through the force of law. First, the emperor wants to drive new change to the country via expanding education. Second was related to gender equality where the past traditional educational scheme excluded female students with large domain of males.
Overall, this was not achieved Menelik's goal. By the time of Menelik's death in 1913, there were three schools established in provincial center: in Harar, Dessie, and Ankober. Although the attendance was free in school, it was not attracted by people nor the youth, mainly due to influence of the clergy. Menelik II itself had problems in early history while embracing a more secular and modern system of education. By that time, there were 100 students enrolled in the school, mainly the sons of nobles of chiefs, and the nobles tended to tradition, and began to send the children of their servants or members of the extended family.
Later on, there was need for modern public education in the early beginning of the twentieth century, with absence of Church and Quran education to satisfy the demands or needs of political, economic, foreign relations, maintaining the sovereignty of the country. This was influenced by centralized government since 19th century and Ethiopia's strong diplomatic ties with other world, the Franco-Ethiopian Railway and the introduction of infrastructure. European languages such as French, Italian, English as well as native language Amharic dominated the curriculum to the field like mathematics, science, physical training, and sports.
The main curriculum was brought from France, which routinely promoted the natives to learn French language and highly assimilated through the course. Menelik also faced opposition from church leaders in Coptic Orthodox at Alexandria and Syria for introducing modern type education, which believed to promote anti-Ethiopian attitude particularly for introducing foreign education. As response to opposition, the curriculum included Ge'ez course that included writing and reading.